Rock Bottom
by Lora Tempesta
Summary: A new ghost shows up in Carmel, it's business as usual, correct? Not when this ghost has personal ties with both Jesse and the room he was murdered in. Suze once again has found herself in a mess of trouble that involves the rogue Shifter, Paul Slater a


"No."

"Please?"

"No, I refuse."

"Oh come on, Jesse." I pleaded with a slight whine in my voice. Okay, I know, not very appealing coming from a seventeen year old girl who's in junior year while her boyfriend works and attends the local community college so he can transfer to a college with a sufficient medical graduate program. "They're my favorite group and they're only in town for one night. Please, I'm begging you."

"I know they're your favorite, querida." Oooh, that's not playing fair. He cannot say that darn word without my knees going weak. "You play that poor excuse for noise nearly each time you get into a car."

There went the weak knees feeling right out the window. I bristled. "Evanescence is not a poor excuse for music!" I said in righteous indignation. "They're very good, and hell, the lead singer has got an amazing voice."

Jesse sighed and rolled his eyes. "Why don't you take Cee-Cee or even…" he gave a small pause "…Adam."

"Adam's already busy, he's actually got a date." When Jesse raised his dark eyebrow that had the scar running through it, I continued. "She's a year younger and surprisingly blonde for Adam's taste. Cee-Cee told me that she can't stand concerts."

"Why didn't that excuse work for me?"

"Because you're my boyfriend!"

Jesse threw his hands up in the air and let out a sigh of complete and utter frustration and I was about ready to copy him exactly. Jesse, being born in the last century hasn't really caught completely onto the music scene. He still prefers classical pieces and folk songs from back in his time.

Did I mention he was born in like the 1830s?

Yeah then murdered and the 1850s?

Don't forget brought back to life in the 2000s.

What am I forgetting?

Hi, I'm Suze. Short for Susannah but only Jesse and Father Dom call me that. I currently live in Carmel, California. I'm not going to beat around the bush because where does that leave us? You with a false sense of security and I still have to break the news to you.

I see dead people.

No really I do.

And talk to them, fix their problems, have been victim to their murderous plots and even fell in love with one particular ghost.

I'm a shifter or a mediator, or whatever it's called. I can see ghosts and it's my job to find out what's wrong with them, why they haven't moved onto the next plane of existence, whatever that may be and get zip, zilch for my efforts except for the occasionally trip to the hospital which does include flowers and presents if I'm lucky.

There was an incident last year with another shifter, Paul Slater, who goes to my school, who by chance used to be in love with me. He used one of the rarest of mediator powers, being able to move into the fourth dimension, Time, to try and save Jesse from being murdered so that he wouldn't become a ghost and I would have never fallen in love with him. Even now it gives me a headache. Through a series of events, Jesse the Ghost was reunited with Jesse the Body and was given a second chance at life.

I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache starting. "You know what, fine. I don't care. I'll just go by myself. Whatever." I left Jesse's room, looking for my car keys in my purse, irritated that I couldn't find them.

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Melody Edgewood walked along the dull and diminished sidewalk, trying to walk on the edge as if it was a balance beam, dipping her feet along on the side every couple of steps. There were other teenagers that passed her and she ignored them and they ignored her. The streetlights set a rosy glow to her skin as she walked along.

Passing by closed stores and boarded up old buildings, she shivered. Mel turned around and saw no one. The beating of drums and a strumming of an eletric bass reached her ears. She turned and saw lights and people moving towards an old nightclub as if drawn by the strains of music like a snake to a charmer's flute. Mel followed them.

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

_"Even though I'm the sacrifice _

_You won't try for me, not now_

_Though I'd die to know you loved me_

_I'm all alone._

_Isn't something missing?_

_Isn't someone missing me?"_

Amy Lee's voice faded out with the slow hum of the guitar. A loud ringing applause reached her and she stood up and took a bow, her long black hair falling over her face and she waved. "Alright, you want more?"

The crowd in the nightclub applauded more and whistles erupted as well. I stood there, whistling as loud as I could. Amy sat down at the piano again, and the gentle strains of _My Immortal_, Evanescence's hit song, washed over the crowd. I closed my eyes, enjoying one of my favorite songs and then opened them again only to groan loudly.

There, in the middle of the crowd, was a girl. I didn't recognize her. She was roughly my age, she was wearing faded jeans that were cut off mid-calf and a black long sleeved shirt. Her hair, like Amy's up on stage was pitch black and reached mid-way down her back. It wasn't the way she looked, because she could have fit the description of half the females in this room. But what was different about this girl was the glow around her.

That special aura that ghosts have.

Great. A _ghost_ decides to run my special night with Evanescence.

This better be good.


End file.
